Ironing machine



Sept. 23, 1924.

| POTTER ET Al.

IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Sept. 231924., 1,509,661

l.. POTTER ET A;

IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1921 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEOPOTTER O ish T ROBERT J. MOMPERE ATTORNEY Sept. I

, l,509,6 6l L. POTTER ET AL IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25. 1921 A3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR LEO POTTER ROBEIQT .'J. MOMPERE ATTORNEYnachweisen: 11924.

PATENT l oifi-ucra'.

LEo' POTTER, or NEW YORK, N.- Y., AND ROBERT .'r. MOMPERE, or NEWARK,NEW

JERSEY; sAIn MoMPERE AssIGNoR To SAID roTTRR.

' IRoNINe MACHINE.

' Application filed August 25,1921. serial No. 495,336. n

' To wi/ofm t may concern.:

4 Be 1t known that we,.Lno PofrTEma citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, county and State of New York, and

- 5 ROBERT J. MOMPERE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofNewark, Essex County, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Ironing Machines, of which the following isaspecification.` x Y 1' This inventionl relates to ironing. machines. l

. In ironing machines of thetype in which the material is' ironed byfeedingit under pressure over a heated element there is danger that thematerial may be' scorched or 1lurned if the heating element becomes tooot. i

This invention has for' its object to auto;

matically release-thepressure of the feeding element on the heatingelement when the latter reaches a predetermined temperature or beforethe material is scorched.

-Another obj ect of the invention is to pro- I 25 vide an ironingmachine with means for automatlcally cutting down the heat or reducingthe temperature of the heating element when lthe element reaches apredetermined temperature or when the feeding of the material stops.Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing machine withautomatic control or regulating means whereby the temperature of theheating element will be maintained substantially constantv and will beprevented from rising beyond a predeter- 'mined degree..

Further obejcts of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken 40 in connection with the drawings which form partof this specification.

.In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the objects are attainedby an ironing machine having a feeding element such asa roller, aheating element or shoe over which the material is fed. under lpressureby the roller, driving means for the roller, means for separating theroller .and shoe when the feed is stopped and thermostatically`controlled means for stopping the rotation of the rolleror the feed ofthe material when the heating element reaches a predeterminedtemperature. The thermostatic control means is also so constructed andarranged that the temperature of the heating element or shoe will beautomatically regulated.

Referring to the drawings:

Flg. l is a sectional elevation of an ironingrna'chine constructed inaccordance with our invention. l v v Fig. 2 is an end elevation partl insection of the construction shown in ig. l.

Fig. 3"is an enlarged detail View partly 'in section showing themounting for the feed roller. 4

' Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of .a portion of the heating element orshoe.

Fig. 5 is a *sectional elevation taken substantially on line 5--5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation ofthe thermostat control mechanism.1.`.'g. 7 is an elevation and partly diagram-- matic view showing -thethermo-stat control for throttling the gas supply in the heatingpipe,and

Fig. 8 is an elevationand partly diagfam- 'matic view showing thethermostatic control -mechanism in connectionv with electric heatingmechanism for the ironing element.

The ironing machine shown 1n the drawings comprises a frame 20, a tableJ21 supported on the frame, a motor 22 supportedl in any suitable mannerfrom the table and frame, a'. feed roller 23 a-nd a heating element orshoe 24 having a heat vindicator 24.

The'- feed roller 23 has secured to its-ends in boxes 26. slidablymounted in slots 27 outwardly extending stub shafts 25 mounted formed inbrackets 28. As illustrated in Fig. l the brackets 28 are recessed asshown at 29 and are substantially L-'shaped yin outline-and the portions'30 in which the boxes 26 are mounted are offset and are dlsposedentirely within the periphery of the roller thereby not interfering withthe feedingof material through the ironing mach.ne, wh1ch is wider thanthe length of the roller and therefore has overlapping ends. lTroughs 20guide'the material fed through the ma chine. f

lThe feed roller 23' is drivenfromvthe'motor 22 in the following manner.The motor shaft 31 has a worm 32 thereon meshing with a worm gear 33carried by a shaft 34. The shaft 34 telescopes with a shaft 35 which issplined thereto and the latter' shaft has a worm 36 meshing with a wormgear i `37 secured to the roller shaft 38.

toward the fee Means is provided for automatically moving the feedroller into feeding relation with respect to the ironing element or shoe24 when the feed roller is driven. This is accomplished by means of aspur gear 39 rotatably `mounted on the stub shaft 25, the gear having alaterally extending flanged or disc portion 40 formed thereonlandenaging a disc 41 formed on the'end of the eed roller. Suitable frictionmaterial 42 may be interposed between the discs if desired. A sprin 43presses the gear and disc roller thereby communicating the rotationofthe feed roller to the gear 39. The gear 39 meshes with a rack 44formed on an offset portion `fof the :bracket 28. The drivingconnections just described are shown at both ends of the roller and asthe connections are exactly the same only one end has been described butcorresponding` reference characters have been placed at both ends.

The driving operation of the feed roller may be briefly described asfollows. When l the motor 22 is startedl the roller will be positivelydriven through the worm gearing described and this rotation of theroller will be communicated to the gear 39 by the friction clutch. Asthe gear 39 is rotated the roller will be moved in a direction towardthe shoe 24 by reason of the fact that the gear meshes with the rack 44.As lon as the roller is driven, therefore, there wil be a constantressure maintained against the shoe 24. en, however, the roller isstopped this pressure will be relieved by means of a spring 45 in eachof the brackets 28, the spring pressing against the box 26 in which theroller stub shaft is mounted. Upon the stopping of the. feed, therefore,the feed roller will be immediately and automatically separated from theshoe thereby relieving.. the pressure between these elements. A

The safety mechanism for automatically relieving) the pressure betweenthe feeding element and t e heating element when the heating elementreaches a predetermined temperature, will now be described.

Referring particularly :to Figs. 46 inclusive, the ironing shoe 24 isprovided with a casin 46 on the back thereof and in the particu arembodiment of` the invention shown in Figs. 1-7 the shoe is heated bmeans of gas conducted by a pipe 47. llt

should be distinctly understood that any fornrof heat such as steam,gasoline, or electrlclty as shown Fig. 8, may be used 1f desired. Theshoef`24 has formed integral therewith or secured thereto on its rearsurface an outwardly extending box 48 and the thermostat controllingmechanism is mounted on a base 49 secured in the box 48.

Any suitable form of thermostat control may be used and in theembodiment of the invention illustrated we have shown a thermostatcomprising a pair of metallic strips 50 and 51 secured at one end, asshown at 52, to a block 53 carried by the base 49. The strips 50 and 51are preferably made from steel and brass respectively since, as is wellknown, these elements expand unequally under the action of heat. Attheir free ends the strips have secured thereto a contact member 54adapted to coact with an adjustable contact 55 secured to the base 49.Contact 55 is carried by a screw 56 and a lock nut 56 secures thecontact 55 in adjustable position. One terminal of an electric circuitis secured to the contact 55 and the other terminal of the circuit issecured to the stationary ends of the members 51 and 52. The electriccircuit may have any suitable source of power such as a storage battery,this circuit preferably being separate from the motor circuit.

The object of the thermostat mechanism just described is to control themotor circuit and to automatically regulate the heat in the heatingelenient or shoe 24. The thermostat may be designed if desired to beplaced as shown in a relay circuit which in turn controls the motorcircuit. One form of control circuit is shown in Fig. 7 where thethermostat is shown as connected in an auxiliary circuit having leads 60and 61. One lead 60 is connected to one side of the thermostat at 62.The other lead 61 is connected to a solenoid coil at 63 and a wire 64connects the other end 65 of the solenoid coil to the thermostat at 66.

The solenoid core 67 is loosely pivoted or connected by a pin and slotconnection at 68 to an arm 69, which is secured to a pintle 70 of athrottle valve 71. The valve 71 is connected in the gas pi 47 thatsupplies the gas burner 72 for t e heating element or shoe 24. A handcontrolled throttle 73 is also provided for the burner.

The solenoid core 67 also carries a pair of contacts 74, adapted toco-act with terminals 75 in the motor circuit.

The control mechanism just described op` erates as follows:

The thermostat circuit is normally open as shown in Fig. 6 and when thetemperature of the shoe 24 exceeds a predetermined or safe limit theelements 50 and 51 expand, closing the contacts 54 and 55 and thecircuit. This will energize the solenoid and actuate the core 67 therebythrottling or cutting down the gas supply and lowering the temperatureof the shoe 24.

When the shoe is cooled or the .temperaelectrical heating clement fortheshoe. The

thermostat connections t-o the solenoid are the same as in Fig. 7 andcorresponding parts are indicated by like reference characters in thetwo views. The solenoid core 67 is also loosely connected to an arm 69,which in this case is secured to a quick-throw switch 80. The switch 80controls the heater The heater circuit is connected to leads 82 .and 83and a hand control switch 84 is provided in this circuit.

The solenoid core 67 may also be connected as in Fig. 7 to control themotor circuit, if desired.

The operation of the thermostat control shown in Fig. 8 is substantiallythe same'as that showny in Fig. 7 except that the closing of thethermostat circuit operates the switch to cut 0E the current from theheater coil 8l.

"When the motor is stopped, as above eX- plained, the feed roller willstop rotating and will be immediately and automatically separated fromthe heating element or shoe 24 by the springs 4:5. It will thus be seenthat when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature thepressure between the feeding and heating elements will be immediatelyreleased therebypreventing the material being ironed from scorching orburning.

In the operation of the ironing machine if the feed roller shouldrbestopped for any reason as by a button or any large object between theshoe and roller the temperature of the shoev would immediately rise asthe rotation of the roller and feed of the material tends to dissipatesome of the heat.

With the control mechanismlast described, in operation, the rise intemperature of the shoe would automatically cause the heating fuel tobeshut 0E thereby preventing the scorching of the material. Under theconditions above outlined, also, the control mechanism, rst described,would au- I tomatically stop the motor whereupon the roller and shoewould be separated.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention iscapable of further modification and that changes in the construction andin the arrangement of the various co-operating parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as eX- pressed inthe following claims.

What we. claim is: l

1'. In an ironing machine," a feeding element, driving means therefor, aheating element adapted to coact with the feeding element to iron thematerial and means for automatically stoppingl the feed of the materialwhen the heating element reachesy at predetermined temperature.

2. In an ironing machine, a feeding element, driving means therefor, aheating element adapted to coact with the feeding element to iron thematerial and means for automatically stopping the feed of the materialand separating the feeding and heating elements when the heating elementreaches a predetermined temperature.

3. In an ironing machine, a feeding element, a heating element, drivingmeans for the feeding element, means for moving the,

feeding element toward the heating element, and means for automaticallyseparating the feedlng and heating elements when tne heating elementreaches a predetermined temperature.

y 4. In an ironing machine, a feeding element, a heating element,driving meansfor the feeding element, means for moving the feedingelement toward the heating element, and means for automatically stoppingthe driving means and separating the feeding and heating elements whenthe heating element reaches a predetermined temperature.

5. In an ironing machine, a feeding roller, a heating element, drivingmeans for the feeding roller, means for moving the feeding roller towardthe heating element, and means for automatically separating the feedingand heating elements when the heating element reaches a predeterminedtemperature.

6. In an ironing machine, a heating element, a feeding element movabletoward and from said heating element, a motor for driving said feedingelement, means for moving the feeding element toward lthe heatingelement and means operable automatically when the heating element.reaches a predetermined temperature for cutting off the power from themotor and for separating said elements.

7. In an ironing machine, a feed roller, a heating shoe, means fordriving the-roller, means for moving the roller toward the shoe andautomatically operable means for separating the roller and shoe when theshoe 'reaches a predetermined temperature.

8. In an ironing machine, a feed roller, a heating shoe, means fordriving the roller, means for moving the roller toward the shoe andautomatically operable means for stopping the feed roller and separatingthe roller 13' and shoe when the shoe reaches a predetcr shoe, means forautomatically separating the roller from the shoe when the roller stopsrotating, and automatically operable means controlled by the temperatureof the shoe for stopping the motor. y

12. In an ironing machine, a heating shoe, a feed roller adapted tocoact therewith to feed and iron the material, means for driving thefeed roller, means for separating the roller and shoe when the feedstops, and automatically operable means controlled by the temperature ofthe shoe for stopping the` feed.

13. In an ironing machine, a heating element, a feeding element, meansfor maintaining a pressure of the feeding element against the heatingelement durin the feeding movement and means control ed by thetemperature of the heating element for automatically relieving saidpressure.

14. In an ironing machine, a heating shoe, a feed roller, means formaintaining a pressure of the roller against the shoe during therotation of the roller and means controlled by the temperature of theshoe for automatically relieving said pressure.

15. In an ironing machine, a heating shoe, a feed roller, means formaintaining a pressure of the roller against the shoe during therotation of the roller and means controlled by the temperature of theshoe for automatically stopping the rotation of the roller and relievingsaid pressure.

In Witness whereof, We have hereunto set our hands this 23rd day ofAugust, 1921.

LEO POTTER. ROBERT J. MOMPERE.

